Chapter 7 - Reclaiming the LegacyWith Michael’s firm in total liquidation and Chloe isolated at my mother's house, I turned my full focus toward my true passion: building my architectural legacy.
Gabriel’s firm, Sterling Global, awarded Sullivan Design the exclusive master contract for the Manhattan Riverfront Development—a five-hundred-million-dollar urban revitalization project that would redefine the city’s skyline.
For six months, Gabriel and I worked side by side.
We spent late nights in my studio reviewing structural models, flying together in his private jet to inspect materials in Italy, and sharing quiet dinners in small, hidden bistros where no reporters could bother us.
The professional partnership effortlessly evolved into something far deeper, warmer, and truer than anything I had ever known.
Unlike Michael, who had constantly tried to shrink my confidence to bolster his own fragile ego, Gabriel celebrated my mind, defended my vision, and loved me with an intensity that made me feel completely safe, cherished, and empowered.
One autumn evening, as we stood on the private terrace of his penthouse, watching the sun dip below the Hudson River, Gabriel stepped behind me, wrapping his warm arms around my waist.
"What are you thinking about, CEO Sullivan?" Gabriel murmured into my hair.
"I was thinking about the night we met at that hotel bar," I smiled, leaning back against his broad chest. "I thought my life was over."
Gabriel turned me around gently in his arms, his dark eyes looking down into mine with an unshakeable, profound devotion.
"Your life wasn't over, Valerie," Gabriel whispered, reaching into his coat pocket. "It was just waiting for the right foundation."
He dropped down onto one knee on the marble terrace.
In his hand sat an exquisite velvet box. Inside rested a breathtaking, flawless eight-carat emerald-cut black diamond ring, surrounded by platinum leaves.
"Valerie Sullivan," Gabriel said, his voice deep, gravelly, and full of emotion. "You are the most brilliant, beautiful, and powerful woman I have ever known. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
May you like
Tears of pure, overwhelming joy spilled over my lashes.
"Yes, Gabriel," I breathed, dropping to my knees beside him, wrapping my arms around his neck. "A thousand times, yes."
Related Stories
